FLORIDA REHABILITATION COUNCIL FOR THE BLIND
PUBLIC FORUM

The Florida Hotel & Conference Center
1500 Sand Lake Drive
Orlando, Florida  32809
July 27, 2017

Chairwoman Patricia Lipovsky called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. (ET) with the Pledge of Allegiance and opening comments.

Council Members Present:
Patricia Lipovsky, Robert Doyle, Bruce Miles, Sandra Burke, Howard Bell, Lenora Marten, Mikey Wiseman, Paul Edwards, Robert Kelly,   

Council Members Absent:
Charles Brooks

Council Staff:
Selena Sickler

DBS Staff:
Bridget Giles, Mireya Hernandez, Nancy Brown, Ted Pobst, Jeff Whitehead, Walter Blackman, Stacy Smith , Allison Flanagan, Lee Anne Alderman, Brian Michaels

 Ten Consumers Attended

First Consumer Comment

• DBS has not eased their accessibility on having your case re-opened after being closed.
• Director Doyle indicated that DBS is addressing elements in the policy revisions that would help to speed up the reopening of a case.
• DBS was going to have someone from Tallahassee drive to Orlando to provide training in Google Docs instead of referring to a local Lighthouse.
• Director Doyle indicated that service provided under contact are comprehensive services and does have an impact on referrals. Services that would require a short- term training can be delivered through a purchase order.

Second Consumer Comment

• Asked how the language in WIOA affected referrals to Lighthouse Works.
• Director Doyle responded by indicating that regulations do have an impact on referrals, for example referrals to a lower paying retail job considered to be integrated over a higher paying job.

Third Consumer Comment

• Thanked DBS for the equipment and for sending him to the lighthouse.
• Disappointed that DBS did not help him find his current job at Lighthouse Works.
• Director Doyle congratulated him for finding a job and stated the job process was a dual approach.

Fourth Consumer Comment

• Stated that his counselor discouraged him from applying for a position as a Call Center Representative at Lighthouse Works.

Mikey Wiseman suggested limiting the response time to 1 or two minutes in order so that everyone would have the opportunity to be heard.

Fifth Consumer Comment

• Thanked DBS for the many services he received.
• Expressed concern on getting services in a timely manner.

Sixth Consumer Comment

• Expressed how grateful she was for the services received from DBS and the Lighthouse of Central Florida.

Seventh Consumer Comment

• Expressed her appreciation to DBS and the opportunity to find a job.

Eighth Consumer Comment

• Expressed his appreciation for the services received.
• Stated his concern regarding the pressure to close his case.

Ninth Consumer Comment

• Expressed his appreciation for DBS and the Lighthouse.

Tenth Consumer Comment

• Expressed how thankful he was for DBS.

The public forum adjourned at 5:48 p.m.